You got a perm and you’re not happy with the result?
You’re not the first and you won’t be the last, either.
And you also aren’t the only one that wants to keep their new curls, even with their flaws, just fixing them up a bit.
When I have to write about a perm gone wrong, I feel very, very sad.
Because, in most cases – maybe even 99% of the time, these kinds of results are the stylist’s fault.
I have a profound respect for the profession, but even more so, I get the clients’ point of view.
I get the fear that they feel when they’re about to change their look. I see the effort they make to afford a straightening treatment or a perm.
Whether it’s that your curls are too tight, your hair is drier than the Sahara Desert or you really just don’t like the final product, dealing with a perm gone wrong doesn’t have to be impossible.
But you should always be very careful because you can end up severely damaging your hair if you don’t take proper care of it.
The first thing you should do before correcting a flawed perm is figure out what exactly the problem is.
Because, depending on the problem, the right solution for fixing the effects of the perm might be different.
A perm can fail for a variety of reasons.
- As a general rule, you need to have healthy hair to get a perm, free of metallic salts and formaldehyde since certain keratin treatments can contain them to achieve perfect curls.
When hair is damaged and not well taken care of, its capillary fibers break and as a result, the hair won’t have the elasticity and resistance needed to stand up to the chemicals needed to do a perm.
- But, in addition to these aspects that have to do with your hair, which are the stylist’s responsibility to consider, the professional’s technique and hand are also important.
It’s essential to choose the right roller size according to the type of curl that you’re hoping to get, and the application time of the chemicals should be controlled accordingly.
If any of these concepts aren’t followed to a tee, the result of the perm will be bad. You won’t get what you’re looking for.
But, like I said before, there’s a way to fix it.
Your perm didn’t come out how you dreamed?
Keep reading because I’ll tell you:
- What to do if the curls are too tight or too defined.
- Your perm is frizzy? Stop the frizz now.
- You got a perm and the ends are still straight? 3 possible solutions.
So, reclaim your happiness and leave behind the prospect of becoming hat collector because you won’t need to do that. Your flawed perm has a solution.
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What to do if your curls are too tight or too defined
You wanted beach waves and you got tight, spiraling curls?
You don’t need to grab your scissors to chop off those little loops one-by-one.
You just need canola oil and a plastic cap. Ideally you should apply the oil to unwashed hair.
This process will loosen the curl, extending it so it’s less defined.
It may be necessary to repeat the process at least once a week for three weeks, but you’ll see that the curls slowly stretch out.
What do you need?
- Canola oil
- A shower cap
- A towel
- Your normal shampoo and conditioner
Step-by-step:
- Apply the oil through your curls, covering each one from root to end.
- Put your hair into the shower cap, and then wrap your entire head in a tower so the oil penetrates better.
- Let sit for at least an hour.
- Once the hour has passed, wash your hair with your usual shampoo and apply conditioner.
After one or two repetitions of this treatment, you’ll notice that the curl’s shape is less defined.
So, what happens if you love the size of your curl, but your hair is full of frizz?
I also have a solution for you.
Your perm is frizzy? Stop the frizz now
Although it seems untrue, this is one of the most common consequences of a bad perm: fizz.
Frizz can appear for many reasons.
- It might be that the stylist didn’t roll the curlers correctly, breaking your hair in the process.
- It also could be that your hair frizzes because the chemical solution was in your hair too long.
If this is the case, I’d advise you to do a deep hydration treatment with coconut oil or olive oil.
Just distribute the oil evenly through your hair, letting it sit for at least forty minutes.
And remember to always use hair products designed specifically for curly hair since it’s much harder for curls to retain moisture.
Your curls all over your head are well-defined, but the ends are still straight?
Don’t freak out, that can also be solved.
You got a perm and the ends are still straight? Three possible solutions:
If your hair was extremely straight before getting the perm or if you have very thick hair, it’s possible that it wasn’t rolled correctly, which can result in part of the ends staying straight, instead of turning out curly.
In this case, you have three possible solutions to deal with this problem.
- The first is the easiest, but it’s also the most extreme.
- The second one is a little more work. If you want your ends to end up with curls, you can use a curler to give them shape.
- Lastly, you can talk to your stylist and ask them to do the perm process again, this time focusing only on the ends.
If you choose to do so, you should wait at least three days before the stylist applies the perm solution again on your ends.
If you don’t wait, you might end up with damaged and split ends.
Conclusions
If you wanted to have perfect curls after getting a perm and something went wrong, you don’t have to give up on them.
But to get the results you’re looking for, I always advise to choose carefully which professional you’ll do the perm with because, in my opinion, it’s one of the most difficult treatments to do.
But improving your perm’s look is absolutely possible.
- To stretch the curls, canola oil.
- To get rid of frizzy curls, olive oil or coco oil.
- To make your ends curly, too, cut your hair at the end of the last curl, give it shape with a curler or get the professional to reapply the perm.
Have you gotten a perm and didn’t like how it turned out?
How did you fix it?
